Dear Editor,

There are many of us who are ignorant of the fact that the West Indies Federation was a construct of the British to be able manage post-independent British West Indies, and had nothing to do with the advancement of Caribbean people. Miami, Florida, in the United States (593 miles) is closer to Kingston than Port of Spain (1,147 miles). How many Jamaicans can afford the airfare to Florida, much less Port of Spain?

Jamaica has natural linkages in the eastern Caribbean, but there are also links with Hispaniola, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and the Virgin Islands, where many of our relatives live. Although we share a common ancestry and heritage with the countries of the southern Caribbean, geographically we are too far apart for integration to work. While we are reluctant to embrace Haiti, criminals have been leading the way in integrating Haiti with Jamaica. History is replete with instances where this has happened to the greater benefit of mankind. Why aren’t more of our products in shops and stores in Haiti? Digicel and Jamaica Broilers are already there.

I agree with Government’s argument about the distance to travel between Kingston and London for justice. However, replacing it with a court over a thousand miles away is laughable and disingenuous. Does the regular Jamaican have greater access to the Caribbean Court of Justice in Port of Spain than the Privy Council in London? I don’t think so.

I say the idea of the CCJ for Jamaica is dead and buried. Let’s give birth to the Jamaica Court of Final Appeal.

Lloyd Benjamin

Lbenjaminj@hotmail.com